I did some research on the MN legislative website
and found the bill that the senate passed in January of 2005--SF001: legislative
session 84, an omnibus buildings bonding appropriations bill. This bill
passed about a month after the Daily news reported that the City, Port
Authority, and CVB had decided to commit funds ($90K total) to the second season
of GRSF after their major donor failed to fulfill his pledge of $100K. The
specific language regarding the 250,000 at issue is
as follows:
36.26 Subd. 22. Winona - Great
River
36.27 Shakespeare
Festival
250,000
36.28 For a grant to the city of Winona to
36.29
predesign facilities for the Great
36.30 River Shakespeare Festival
in the city
36.31 of Winona. The predesign may include
36.32 site selection and economic feasibility
36.33 and impact
analysis of the festival and
36.34 related arts and educational
facilities.
36.35 This appropriation is not available
36.36
until the commissioner has determined
36.37 that an equal amount has
been committed
36.38 to the project from nonstate sources.
It looks to me like the study will
include economic impact and feasibility, which should answer some of the
questions posed by our community members in this forum. It also looks like there
IS a requirement for matching funds which is not consistent with Jim's report
earlier in these threads about this issue. I'm not sure how to find out at the
state level whether or not the funds have been granted, but again, I'm thinking
that our senator or representative or the City folks or GRSF folks would be
happy to share this information with anyone who asks for it and, again, I
encourage (as have Cherisa and Beth) all of those on the list
interested to visit or call on them. Please refrain
from asserting the no one will give you this information if you choose not
to ask the individuals most likely to be able to provide
it!!
FYI there are several other similar projects
within the omnibus bill that are for $500K (e.g., a bill to fund the design of
an Asian Cultural Center in the Twin Cities, $400K to design and construct a
workers' memorial at the state capital, and $500K to design a renovation for a
building at MN state U--Moorhead). There were much larger ones like 2 million to
the Purpich Center for Arts Education and another 2 million to the
most needed preservation projects at Fort Snelling. Get this:
$21,964,000 was appropriated for "Metro Regional Park Acquisition and
Betterment" so somewhere in the
state, parks are receiving funding! The total cost of all of the capital
improvements in this appropriations bill was: $1,038,840,000! You can read the complete text at:
Isn't it good news that our congressmen,
Kierlin and Pelowski, were able to get the ball rolling so that GRSF could
access a piece of this huge pot of money that the state designates for these
types of improvements? Maybe they could help find a way to find some state
dollars to help with "non-metro park betterment"--especially since there have
already been funds raised that can match state grant monies.
I just can't understand the divisiveness I've
witnessed on and off list this week. I think it's time to unsubscribe for
awhile--I feel like I'm pounding my head against a brick wall and it hurts too
much to keep trying.
Kathy Seifert
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